🍴 4    ⌚ 40 mins     🍳1     £ 1.60    7 ingredients          

Delicious, inexpensive and one of the easiest soups to make. There are many recipes for potato soup and this one has a broth like consistency and wonderful flavour. Use it as a base recipe and simply add cooked chicken or bacon towards the end of cooking.

Historically one of the cheapest ingredients, potatoes were first grown in the Andes 7000 years ago. The starchy tuber imported in to Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century and today there are more than 5000 varieties of spuds.

Did You Know? Potatoes are virtually fat free with only 0.2mg of fat in a medium sized potato. They are a good source of fibre and contain vitamin C and B.

Vary the vegetables and herbs to suit yourself. Parsnips, swede and butternut squash all go well. You might like to add some beans or grains, just don’t forget the spuds!

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 large red onion
• 3 basil leaves
• Handful chopped parsley
• 2 low salt vegetable stock cubes
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Step by step:

1. Peel and chop the carrots and potatoes into large chunks. Chop the onion into smaller pieces
2. Place 2 tbsp of oil in the pan and fry off the onion until translucent . 
3. Melt the 2 stock cubes in 500 ml boiling water and add to the pan with the potatoes, carrots and basil. Cook until the vegetables are soft Add the chopped parsley and serve with half a tbsp of oil on top

Notes & tips:

This soup will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days and freezes well for 3-4 months. Labelling freezer portions clearly with a description and date frozen makes it much easier when you come back to the freezer a few weeks later.

Defrost the frozen soup completely and re-heat in a saucepan (or microwave) until piping hot. You can thin the soup with a little extra hot water or stock, or make it creamy by adding a little Elmlea or single cream. 

Use any potatoes you like, firm ones such as new or baby potatoes will hold their shape well, Charlottes are ideal. 

This soup is a great a next day meal as the flavours get even better. Use leeks instead of onion and add garlic if you like. Add some cooked chicken or bacon if you like. I love to add leftover parsnips, cooked cabbage or Brussels sprouts. Sometimes a finely chopped and deseeded chilli is nice.

Play around with the herbs, dill, thyme, chives all go well. Add extra heat with chilli flakes or a sprinkle of paprika

We used Kallo very low salt cubes (£1.79 most supermarkets) with excellent results.

Delicious and easy to make using just a few inexpensive ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 courgette
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 large potatoes
• 6 mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red onion
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs

Step by step:

1. Peel the potato and sweet potato and dice into large chunks. Chop the courgette and onion into similar size pieces. Halve the mushrooms and crush clove of garlic.
2. Place all the ingredients in a baking dish. Sprinkle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil and stir thoroughly to coat. Remove the leaves from one of the sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle over the vegetables.
3. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and the whole sprig of rosemary on top use the remains tbsp of oil sprinkled on top
4. Cover in tin foil and place in a hot oven 200C for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes check vegetables and chicken are cooked. Leave the foil off and return to the oven for another 20 minutes for the chicken to crisp up.

Tips and notes:

1. We used chestnut mushrooms because they have a deeper nuttier flavour.
2. Chicken thighs the most flavoursome part of the chicken because the thighs are the fattier part of the bird. They also tend to be juicier because thigh contain more tendons than breast meat.

Delicious and easy to make using just a few inexpensive ingredients.

🍴 4    ⌚ 35 mins     🍳1     £1.25pp    7 Ingredients         

Ingredients:

• 375g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• A few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped
• 4 cod fillets, approx 200g each
• 2 tbsp pitted black olives
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Butter, for greasing the dish
• Salt and pepper

Step by step:

1. Arrange the potatoes in layers in a well buttered shallow oven proof dish. Sprinkle each layer with a little salt and thyme leaves.

2. Place the pieces of cod on top of the potatoes, add the olives and drizzle with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper and a little more thyme.

3. Place the dish in the centre of a preheated oven 220C (Gas 7) and cook for 25 minutes. Check the potatoes are soft before serving.

Tips: If you have a mandolin, now is the time to give it a try. Cover the dish in foil for the first 15 minutes of cooking to keep the fish moist

Quick, easy and less than £1 per serving. Make this as a starter, or make a large one for a main course and its ready in less than 30 minutes.

Easy and fun for children to assemble, just have the chopped ingredients ready before you start.

You will need one medium size saucepan and a baking sheet.

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 1 knob of butter
• Handful of spinach
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 35g parmesan
• 1 pack of puff pastry
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
• Parsley, chopped

Step by step:

1. Roll out the pastry to make the cases and add a border to each case (see pic 1 above) then brush with beaten egg. 10cm x 10cm is the ideal size for a starter, 15cm x 15cm for a main course. Put in the oven at 180C for 10-15 minutes
2. Meanwhile make the filling. Place a knob of butter in your saucepan and add the chopped leeks, cook for five minutes stirring regularly. Add a handful of spinach and cook for another minute.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 1/2 the beaten egg, cream and most of the parmesan, (leave a small amount to place on top of the tart later). Season with plenty of black pepper.
4. Remove the pastry case from the oven and fill with the leek and spinach mixture. Sprinkle over the walnuts and remaining parmesan. Cook for another five minutes until the pastry is nicely browned and cheese melted.
5. Serve with chopped parsley and salad garnish

Variation: Use 125g of a crumbly goats cheese in place of parmesan. If you don’t have spinach, use some small florets of broccoli, finely chopped. Spring onions are an ideal substitute for the leeks if you want a sharper flavour.

🍴 2 ⌚ 40 Mins    🍳 2   £2.85pp   

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 100g cold butter diced
• 1 small white onion
• 175g risotto rice
• 100ml white wine
• 600ml hot vegetable stock
• 50g parmesan, grated
• 200g broad beans (fresh or frozen)
• 6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped

Step by step:

1. Put the oil and 25g of butter in a large pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the wine and let it bubble to let the alcohol evaporate.
2. Begin adding the hot stock, 1 ladle full at a time and cook over a medium heat. The rice should remain moist, so keep adding stock. Carole’s flavour boosting tip is to sprinkle a few drops of Maggi sauce into the stock.
3. In a separate frying pan, add the chopped streaky bacon and cook until ready. Take two thirds of the bacon and drain it on kitchen roll. Cook the remaining third until its crispy and golden and reserve for your garnish.
4. The rice will take between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the rice you are using. As soon as the rice is ready, add the beans and a little more stock if needed. Stir through the cooked bacon and some of the parmesan.
5. Serve with with the crispy bacon and extra sprinkle of parmesan

Tips:

Get all your ingredients ready in advance. If you don’t have homemade stock, try Asda vegetable bouillon stock mix (£1.80 per 150g). Add a few drops of Maggi seasoning for extra flavour (£1 per 125g).

When you add the rice, you are aiming to toast it in the oil, butter and onion. You want it opaque and shiny so keep stirring and add your wine and let that cook off before you start adding your stock.

Use a streaky bacon, or better still pancetta and double pod your broad beans for their lovely emerald green colour.

For all you need to know about risotto and making your own stock, turn to Valentina Harris and her book Risotto! Risotto!

Available in soft cover, so ideal for the camper van. £12.99

Serve on a cold winter morning or as an after dinner treat, this is just a little bit indulgent but oh so delicious. Part of the fun is to let the coffee cool enough so you can drink it without disturbing the cream and leaving you with a white moustache.

Some people like to add a dash of maple syrup or a pinch of nutmeg. However the most important ingredients of course are the coffee, whiskey and cream.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp double cream
• 150ml freshly brewed black coffee
• 50ml Irish whiskey
• ½ – 1 tsp brown sugar
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Step by step:

STEP 1

Lightly whip the cream just so it’s very slightly thickened, then set aside.

STEP 2

Pour the hot coffee into heatproof glass, then add the whiskey and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Gently float the cream on the top and sprinkle the nutmeg (if using) over the cream. Serve hot.

Tip:

Place a dessert spoon upside down just touching the top of the coffee, pressed against the inside of the glass. Gently pour the cream over the spoon letting it settle in a delicious thick layer on top of the coffee.

My favourite whiskey is Bushmills which is the oldest triple brewed whiskey in Ireland. However, Jamesons runs a close second for smoothness and flavour.

Best Irish whiskies BBC guide:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-irish-whiskey

🥘 One pot | 🍽 Serves 4-6 | 🛒 12 ingredients | ⏱ 45 minutes | €4

This classic soup is a great winter warmer. Use any vegetables and meat leftover from Sunday lunch, try it with sweet potato and Brussels sprouts. Stuffing and sausages are good too.

You will need one large pot

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g streaky bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, cut into rounds
• 2 sticks celery, roughly sliced
• 350g vegetable combination (swede, turnip, sweet potato, parsnip or celeriac, peeled and diced).
• 250g floury potatoes, sliced
• 1.5 litres chicken stock
• 1/2 a small Savoy cabbage cut into thin wedges
• 200g cooked chicken, cut into thin strips
• Salt and black pepper

Step by step:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and fry until its crisp and brown, then add all the vegetables except the cabbage.
2. Stir the vegetables for a couple of minutes over a high heat, then pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage and cook for another 15 minutes. The potatoes will have broken up slightly and thickened the soup.
4. Finally add the cooked chicken and warm it through and serve right away.

Tips:

The main thing is to have fun with this sort of soup and use the recipe merely as a guide. Think pumpkin, leeks, cauliflower, kale and your favourite herbs, thyme, rosemary and parsley are great.

We used Kallo organic chicken stock (£1.79 in most supermarkets) with fabulous results.

If you are using a thermomix:

1. Roughly chop your vegetables
2. Place the bacon in the bowl and chop for 6 seconds, speed 6
3. Add the oil and cook for 3 minutes at 115 degrees C
4. Remove the bacon and add the cut vegetables to the bowl and chop for ten seconds at speed 4. Add back the bacon and stock and cook for 13 minutes at 90 degrees C
5. Add the chicken and cook for another three minutes at 95 degrees C
6. Serve in warmed bowls with a good grinding of black pepper or nutmeg

Tips

Don’t forget to use reverse enabled for cooking

Serve with basil and croutons, or a crusty baguette

How to make the perfect frittata…

Ingredients:

• 1 large white onion, or 6 spring onions
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 200g broad beans, podded and jackets removed
• 6 large eggs
• chopped herbs of your choice, dill, mint or parsley are all good
• 100g ricotta (sheep or cows milk) or 50g grated parmesan
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step by step:

1. Thinly slice your onion. Use a medium size non stick frying pan to warm the oil. Add the onion and fry until very soft. Add the broad beans and cook for two minutes.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour them over the vegetables.

3. Cook the frittata over a low heat. As the edges start to set pull them away from the side of the pan with a spatula.

4. When the base is set, get ready to flip your frittata. Place a plate upside down on your frittata, invert your pan and then slide the frittata back into the pan to finish cooking the other side.

Some people like their frittata slightly runny in the centre, a bit like an omelette. If you prefer it a little more well done just give it another few moments in the pan.

Note: Finish your frittata under the grill if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• 3 rashers bacon – finely chopped
• 1/2 green cabbage (ideally Savoy) finely shredded
• 1 small white onion – finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic – finely chopped
• 1/2 litre milk
• 1/2 litre water
• 1 chicken stock cube
• Ground nutmeg
• Chopped parsley

Step by step:

1. Add the finely chopped bacon to the pan with 2 dessert spoonfuls of oil. Fry off for 3-5 minutes until the bacon is slightly crisp
2. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sautée for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp of plain flour and cook for another minute
3. Add the milk and stir thoroughly. Add pepper to taste and continue cooking and stirring occasionally. Add a good pinch of ground nutmeg. Add the water and chicken stock cube
4. Add the cabbage. Bring to the boil and continue cooking until the cabbage is soft (5-15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add some chopped parsley. Add more pepper to taste 

Serve in warmed bowls with croutons, crusty bread or crackers.

Tip…The soup will be quite creamy, just add boiling water before serving of you want a thinner soup

If you want to cook a little extra bacon at the beginning and save it, you can add that just before serving in a small stack in the soup bowls with extra parsley and nutmeg